China’s Mingyang Smart Energy Group Ltd (SHA:601615) has touted production of the world’s largest offshore wind turbine in capacity and rotor diameter.
The company said in a LinkedIn post on Thursday that its Shanwei manufacturing base in China has rolled out its new MySE 18.X-20MW machine.
The model represents an evolution from its 14-16 MW platforms, offering flexible power ratings from 18.X to 20 MW, and rotor diameters of 260 metres-292 metres. The turbine is designed for global deployment in medium-to-high wind speed regions, the manufacturer further explained.
Mingyang said the MySE 18.X-20MW demonstrates its commitment to advancing technology for deeper waters and delivering innovative, more powerful solutions. The company recently announced plans for the development of a 22-MW offshore wind turbine.
Mingyang is pushing towards bigger turbines at a time when the industry is facing problems emerging from the rapidly rising turbine sizes. The Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC) said in a recent report that “the industry is hit by a rapid innovation curse.” This involves a shortened product development lifecycle that can cause defects, large research and development (R&D) investments by manufacturers, and a lack of industry standardisation increasing costs.
